Magical Journey: The Other Shore Blooms on the Other Shore

This country is known as the most welcoming to the poor. As long as you can prove that your finances are below the government's poverty line, you can enjoy government-provided meals for free.

It's worth mentioning that the food was quite good, especially the bread with jam. The sweetness of the fruit and the softness of the bread were perfectly blended by the pastry chef, making it an absolute delicacy.

If you ask me how I know... hehehe...

Elena munched on the free bread with lingering enjoyment. Whether it was because the bread was genuinely delicious or simply because it was free, Elena thought it was the best bread she had eaten in months.

If it weren't for the government's restrictions, Elena would have loved to pack them all up and take them with her.

"Sometimes I really don't understand you. You're always so eager to take advantage of small things at times like this," Qin complained.

She could refuse five hundred gold coins without batting an eye (although she did struggle with it), but she was willing to go to great lengths to pretend she was poor for a loaf of bread that wouldn't even cost a silver coin.

She temporarily sealed all the gold coins, so no matter how the officials questioned her, she was a penniless pauper and naturally received the free bread.

When asked where she got her clean clothes,

Elena calmly admitted that she had been found, leaving the officials helpless.

Some people probably already suspect that Elena is deliberately pretending to be poor, but perhaps giving Elena an extra piece of bread wouldn't be a big deal, and those important figures would just turn a blind eye.

“You would never understand the joy of getting something for free,” Elena said, chewing her lunch.

Her forte was skillfully navigating the rules and operating in the gray areas. Otherwise, as a traveler without a stable income, she would have starved to death on the brightly lit streets long ago.

Joining the Magic Integration Association and finding a stable job is such a hassle.

"So hungry..." As she walked, Elena didn't notice that she had suddenly kicked something and almost tripped.

Take a closer look...

Hmm, it's a zombie.

No, he was a person who was so hungry he was skin and bones.

Hey? Are there really people in this place who are too hungry to afford food? — There's delicious bread there!

Elena chewed on her bread, completely baffled.

“Give me a job, I’ll do anything…please…” The girl was so hungry she had no strength left, her little hands tightly clutching Elena’s hem.

"There's bread there~" Chew, chew, chew.

"No, Mom said we can't eat food offered with contempt."

"Huh? But the bread is delicious." Chewing.

"My dad said that the most important thing for a person to live in is backbone."

"That makes sense, that makes sense." (chewing)

"Can you please stop eating so heartily in front of me!"

Oh oh.

Elena swallowed the last piece of bread: "So, even if you're starving, you still won't accept their food?"

“That’s it.” The girl nodded.

Compared to the truly poor girl who refuses charity, Elena, who has a lot of gold coins but pretends to be poor to cheat the government out of bread, is simply a heartless scumbag.

Hmm, so what?

"What's your name?" Elena asked.

“Yefpoka…”

"I am Elena, the Gray Witch, a traveling witch. Here, I have a job for you to do."

……

"Information about this kingdom?" Yevpoka looked at Elena warily. "What are you planning to do?"

Is he a spy?

Only spies would ask this question, right?

Looking at that smile, she looks every bit the wicked sorceress, full of evil intentions. Don't think I can't see through you just because you're cute.

“You’ve misunderstood. I just wanted to ask what famous attractions are nearby.” Elena handed over a gold coin. “After all, I’m a traveler.”

She's such an angelic older sister!

Yevpoka accepted the gold coin: "I can be your guide..."

She was just starting to get excited when she slumped down again, her stomach growling loudly in protest against her owner's mistreatment.

"Let's go eat first," Elena said.

“You must wait for me!” Yevpoka said.

“Of course, I don’t like spending without generating income,” Elena said.

Then, Yevpoka disappeared for a while. Only after she was completely out of sight did Elena sigh: "Clearly, your personality is even more awkward than mine, yet you say you don't understand me."

Qin shrugged, offering no comment.

The gold coins were provided by Jean. She had just seen Yevpoka, who had collapsed from hunger, and had decided to help him. So she passed the task on to Elena.

This person's personality is so awkward.

Elena often couldn't understand this kind of kindness towards others. As for helping others, if someone really asked her for a favor, she would agree depending on the situation.

But if others don't speak up, she will usually pretend not to see them.

After all, she wasn't a savior; she was just a witch.

Yefpoka used the gold coin she had obtained to have a good meal, and then returned to Jean and Elena. Clearly, her condition had improved from being half-dead to barely alive.

"Where does big sister like to go? The garden? The playground?" Yevpoka asked, seemingly quite knowledgeable, as this wasn't her first time acting as a guide.

"It depends on your recommendation." Elena herself didn't have any particular preference.

……

Yevpoka led the way, with Elena and Qin following half a step behind her.

"By the way, Yevpoka, haven't you tried looking for a job?" Elena asked. I could understand that she had the backbone to refuse handouts, but why was she starving on the street?

“I did look for a job, but I got fired.” Yevpoka stuck out her tongue.

That's really bad news.

"What did you do to get fired?"

"It's nothing much—I was a waiter at a restaurant, I reported the boss for embezzlement, and then I got fired; last time I was a temporary worker in the government, I reported a businessman for falsifying VAT invoices, and then I got fired too..."

She listed many, many...

It's clear that she has a wealth of work experience.

Especially when it comes to whistleblowing, it feels like even the Kingdom's secret agents might not be as professional as her...

“And then—nowhere wanted me anymore…” Yevpoka was clearly frustrated as she said this.

That's how she ended up destitute and lying on the street.

Simply put, it means being intolerant of any flaws and being ostracized as an outsider.

“Sister Elena, did I do something wrong?” Yefpoka suddenly asked.

Elena hadn't originally intended to comment. She wondered what the child would think if he knew he'd taken (cheated) government welfare bread.

But since things had come to this, she still had to say something.

Elena thought for a moment, then said, "That's good."

"Then why don't they approve of me—and—"

"What do you think is good? Does it need the approval of those you reported?" Elena asked with a smile.

"Well……"

"These are the costs of being out of step. Not conforming to the world brings these troubles—so, what's the point of judging good and bad?"

"Is your sister such a person who upholds justice? Do you think this is a good thing? Would you carry it out?"

"I am the Witch of Ash."

"I know you've already introduced yourself. You haven't answered my question yet."

"I've already answered."

It would be wonderful if everyone in the world upheld justice like that—but unfortunately, I'm not that kind of person. My personality is truly awful.

But I have no sense of remorse.

Similarly, I do not have the authority to teach Yevpoka to be one with the light.